Tag Archives: I know my destiny

My name is Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa, s/n R. N. Dewberry. I am a fifth generation of New Afrikan people whom were kidnapped from the continent of Mother Afrika and delivered to the shores of Babylon—North Amerika, by force, in chains and against our will. And, yes, we have never ever stopped fighting for our liberation to regain a true sense of freedom, justice and new Afrikan nationhood. But, “I know my destiny,” to fulfill the many responsibilities as a manchild in brotherhood, in manhood and in fatherhood which many of my righteous elders were attempting to pass on to me.

I was compelled to learn many important lessons in life, based upon harsh, personal experienced. As a very young child, I was told many stories about my grandmothers, father, aunts, uncles and past/present extended family. The members of my family tree were born during the mid-1600s on up to the present.

The Black Reconstruction Movement, Harlem Black Renaissance, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Universal Negro Improvement Association, the Afrikan Blood Brotherhood, and a number of similar self-help organizations, were actively coming together to ‘take a stand’. The purpose of these organizations was to try to resist the many life-destroying conditions of white racism, terrorism and domestic colonial domination, and fight to keep alive our true sense of ancestral identity—as a new Afrikan community struggling to rebuild a collective sense of nationhood.

Several members of our family grew up in association, embracing the doctrines of Marcus Garvey’s (U.N.I.A.). These doctrines were based upon/around Garvey’s 54-point platform and the Baptist Christian faith that sought to teach our people that we must seek to regain a strong sense of ethnic (Black/Afrikan) pride, self-worth, moral values, self-help programs, culture, self-protection, collective unity and self-determination.

Still, as a young child, I didn’t know my destiny, nor did I understand the historical wisdom that was being shared with me. I continued to follow many of the same incorrect fads/ways, as most other Black children of my generation.

When I was a youth, during the mid-60’s and mid-70’s, I continued to hear more stories about our family tree. During this period of my life, the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X (N.O.I.) and the Black Panther Party had established a strong base of influence in the Oakland, California community which was my ‘stomping grounds’ as a teenager. The Black Muslim community embraced a 20-point platform which sought to teach Black people that we already possessed both the power and a duty to take control of our lives and future. And, we must learn how to organize and do for ourselves. We can never ever expect or depend upon the white racist, the government and related white settler communities to do what is necessary to heal and uplift our Black race.

These family elders/community elders sought to aid my transformation into a young follower of the Christian faith, of the Nation of Islam, of the Black Nationalist[s], in an effort to help me learn a stronger sense of self-knowledge, self-discipline and a Black community value system to which my parents were the primary educators. But, also, as a young Black child, who had endured the devastating personal tragedy of losing my father at an early age in my life!

Once again, I was not always ready to make the correct choices in life. I continued to follow a road that would lead me through many precarious trials and tribulations.

By the time I reached age 22 (the time of arrest on my original 1980 case), I found that I was wholly trapped by an ongoing tug-a-war between the many, many, many positive forces that were in my family life, extended family life and the multitude of negative forces which plague every level of modern day Babylon. These wars were waging a life and death battle to determine what would be my future destiny. Unfortunately, a number of wicked forces prevailed after a brief trip down the ‘fast lane’ of illegal drugs, easy women, quick money and destructive Black-on-Black crime.

I became the target of a combined government-organized crime/anti-drug task force and as a part of a calculated ‘divide-and-conquer’ strategy. I was arrested for the charge of first-degree murder of which I was not guilty. I was specifically threatened by government police agents if I did not agree to become a State witness for the prosecution and afford court testimony against a list of alleged Black drug kingpins and their network of operations, it would be very easy to take steps to ensure that I would be prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to the California prison system for the remainder of my natural life. Fortunately, I have always been taught by my family, extended family and our Black community, that it is wholeheartedly unacceptable for any person to act as a ‘snitch’ for the white police agencies. So, I steadfastly refused to agree to become a State informant.

Unfortunately, the white police agents were also true to their word. As punishment for my refusal to cooperate in major felony criminal investigations, I was ‘railroaded’ by a white racist and corrupt injustice system. I was falsely convicted of a murder I did not commit. I was sentenced to serve life in prison for first-degree murder. And, even though I was not always ready to face the many difficult twists and turns of my life, I knew that I was facing an ordeal that would change my entire life and future.

I respectfully ask for your assistance in helping me correct this miscarriage of justice that I am suffering. My case is another perfect example of the judicial system gone bad. The evidence in my case clearly demonstrates my innocence. In fact, the person guilty has provided sworn testimony in Open Court that he committed the offense and that I had no involvement in the incident. I have been confined since 1980 for the case and I feel if I am given some help from your office/organization, the judicial misconduct will not go unchecked. I have all the legal documents to show the merits of my innocence, yet, I am still being held because of financial constraints won’t permit me to get the attention needed to get a fair review on the State and Federal levels. I am sure your office is swamped with many different responsibilities and assignments, yet I plead with you to help me correct this wrong. You must know, as I do, that the law is applied unequally when it comes to poor Black/Afrikan men in this country (U.S.)!

When I first arrived in San Quentin State Prison (S.Q.) in September 1981, I was confronted by a deep rooted test of faith. On the one hand, I had sought to re-establish my prior relationship and training of being the protector of my people (Afrikans) which was taught at an early age to me by my parents, being that I was a prison activist and a follower of the N.O.I. – an effort to restore my life to a more proper balance. But, the Muslim community within the California prison system had had been ordered by Walace Deen Muhammad, years prior to my entering S.Q., which had caused a split in the Black Muslim community (inside/outside) of prison that we must embrace a position of non-violence unless a member of our Muslim community was confronted by violence only. On the other hand, I had been born and raised within a Black community in which all Black lives were deeply valued. An act of disrespect, racial violence or bloodshed of any Black human being must be strictly enforced by a correct military response.

A series of violent racial wars broke out within the California prison system and numerous of my fellow Black Prisoners were being stabbed, shot and killed on a regular basis. On June 19, 1982, I was faced with a life or death situation to become a casualty of war during a racial riot (war) or become a beacon to my fellow (Afrikaan Brothers) prisoners and defend myself and my people. History can tell us now, that on June 19, 1982, I was shot five (5) times on my left side of my body from head to feet by one (1) prison gun rail guard carrying a shotgun. But, this guard had reached for his 38 revolver and if it wasn’t for his supervisor yelling at him, it is reasonable to say, this correctional officer would have killed me on June 19, 1982 on San Quentin’s upper yard. I was compelled to make the correct choice to embrace a position of Active Resistance (Activist).

During this time, there were numerous killings, stabbings on a regular basis, in Kalifornia prison system, to which the New Afrikan Klass dealt with all opposition effectively!

During 1981 to 1986, as a direct result of various events, the N.O.I/Black Muslim community within the California prison system, we became isolated and gradually reducing in size. We were no longer able to effectively fulfil our chosen mission. Therefore, my Afrikan spirit was moved to end my active membership, specifically with the Black Muslim community. I began to undergo a revolutionary transformation, which would afford me to complete my self-development as a New Afrikan man who is willing to commit my life to the liberation of our Afrikan people: to protect, serve and continue our protracted liberation struggle to rebuild our Afrikan family and entire New Afrikan nation.

I know my destiny! To uphold our traditional responsibilities as a New Afrikan manhood, brotherhood and fatherhood. With the passage of time, I have come to appreciate the fact that in spite of the very wicked events by the Kalifornia Department of Korrection (KDK) against Black Afrikan prisoners, which resulted in my protracted 33 years of captivity, I am the living seed of my New Afrikan foremothers, forefathers, perseverant family tree.

On July 9, 1987, Kalifornia Department of Korrection (KDK) and its prison Kalifornia Korrectional Institution, IV-A made their attempt to destroy this freedom fighter—physically, and mentally by shooting eight (8) 38MM stun guns, three (3) Taser darts. It was clear to me that the KDK wanted this freedom fighter to be featured in the local newspaper as another subjected to electronic torture by a Taser or murdered by the improper and unauthorized use of mechanical weapons. If it was not for the ancestral spirits of the freedom fighters proceeding my time, such as M. Garvey, Nina, W.L. Nolen, W. Christmas, G.L. Jackson, J. “Khatari” Gaulden, A. Powell, Arthur “Fly” Harris, C. Causey and Malcolm X, I would have been added to the long list of freedom fighters. Review the California Eastern District Court No. CIVF-90-0494 0WW-GGH-P, and you can also review the second Civil case this freedom fighter (FF) had to file against the KDK for their attempts to maim for life or murder me (#CIVF-96-5962-0WW-SMS-P) both out of the District same court. Based upon the fact of being outspoken against KDK and educating all Afrikan prisoners of how the U.S. Government is without justice when the laws are applied toward my people (Afrikans).

I am a liberator of my people’s minds, bodies and souls! Therefore, KDK has held me in solitary confinement for the past 28 [35] years for my political beliefs and spiritual morality as a “New Afrikan Revolutionary Nationalist” (NARN). I shall never be found among the broken men of my era! I now know my destiny. In a very bold technique and political campaign directed to enlighten the people (prisoners) about the police brutality, inadequate health care, inadequate housing, mis-education, Afrikan-on-Afrikan crimes, etc., it is through action that an organizer or revolutionary can uplift and enhance the consciousness of the Afrikan masses at large are said conspicuous injustices and oppressed conditions and try to be that exemplified and influential to encourage the people to fully contribute their … of expediency to serve within the framework of our political, economical, social, cultural and military sacrifices to our people.

KDK has labeled me as a member of the Black Guerrilla Family (BGF) and used that as a means to lock me up in SHU/Control Unit for the past 30+ years [since May 15, 1985]. In order to silence me from educating other Afrikan prisoners, but during my 30+ years of solitary confinement, I have continued to educate my people! Thirty years ago, KDK offered me a way out of the Control Unit to which I proudly rejected their wicked offer to return back to the general population.

If I undergo their “debriefing,” to which I have refused to do for the past 30+ years, and shall not change my mind!!! I ask myself, “What weight does customs hold under the law?” For though it may be termed “debriefing,” using a euphemism does not change what it is: betraying a confidence, committing an act of treachery for personal gain. Considering how our community in the U.S. was brought into being and considering the command and control needs which existed from the ‘get-go,’ if any community has a historical aversion to stoolies, tattlers, rats and the like, isn’t it ours?

As stated in Brother L.Bennett Jr.’s book, page 97: “Before the Mayflower recounts an incident from the mid-eighteen hundreds, where a slave named Jim, who killed a slave named Isaac for ‘betraying him after his escape in Tennessee. The judge at the trial noted that one of their own color, subject to a life of servitude, should abandon the interests of his caste, and betray black folks to the white people, rendered him an object of general aversion.”

Therefore, I shall die before my tormentors (KDK/U.S. government) turn this freedom fighter into a debriefer.

It is my ancestral deity and personal responsibility to act as a proud beacon of new Afrikan manhood, brotherhood and fatherhood. And, from this day, until the day I die, I shall always be ready to keep fighting/struggling and liberating the mental chains from our people’s minds, to fulfill my chosen purpose in life. I now know my destiny!

Picture gallery

Handwritten text of Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa’s Our New Afrikan Origins

Sign on the gate at Corcoran during the hunger sitrke of 2013 with text of SitawaBe mindful that our success will depend on our collective resolve and determination to put an end to this system of human torture – Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa

Rare photo of Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa during solitary confinement

Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa before going to solitary confinement

Two picturs showing Sitawa Nantambu Jamaa before (right) and during solitary confinement

Sitawa and his sister Marie during their first contact visit since 31+ years (Nov 2nd, 2015)

Marie Levin holding one of the few pictures of her brother Sitawa – by Malaika

Sitawa and his brother-in-law Randy during their first contact visit since many years